


Nesting

by nazangel



Series: Batfamily ABO Week 2020 [3]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bruce Feels, Bruce Wayne Has Issues, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Bruce gives him one, Child Neglect, Gen, He Just Doesn't Know It Yet, Nesting, Omega Bruce Wayne, Omega Tim Drake, Protective Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Tim Drake is a sad boy, bruce helps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:07:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23411398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nazangel/pseuds/nazangel
Summary: No one ever taught Tim how to build a nest. Bruce fixes that.
Relationships: Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne
Series: Batfamily ABO Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1681312
Comments: 22
Kudos: 617
Collections: Batfamily AlphaBetaOmega Week, Gen Batfam ABO





	Nesting

**Author's Note:**

> This is actually supposed to be the fourth or fifth fic in the Keeper series but the second one to be posted so some things might be confusing. 
> 
> A few things to note  
> \- Bruce saying that he's a disease is a misconception on his part, he thinks him being a Keeper and not following all the rules is the reason bad things happen to his family.  
> -Dick was Bruce's protege but he is Bludhaven's Keeper so while him and Bruce have problems they don't have too big of a falling out because Bruce always knew Dick wasn't Gotham's.  
> -Jason also died in this au but he died in Gothan, not in Ethiopia.

Bruce didn't notice too much about Tim at first. He was a thirteen years old male omega who had the keeper's magic inside of him. He had parents so he didn't need to be Bruce's responsibility outside of training.

And Bruce was okay with that. He had already lost one protege to the Keeper's magic and it had nearly destroyed him.

There was a reason Keepers weren't supposed to have normal packs. It was a disease.

And Bruce was the biggest disease of all.

Tim usually came to the cave in the evening after school and went home after a few hours of studying and lessons. Dick and Jason had always been eager to get to the physical training part but Tim was more than okay with reading books on books about Keepers. He was also a creative problem solver, picking things up faster then Bruce had.

Sometimes Bruce felt the urge to scoop up the little pup and tuck him close, especially when he looked at him with those hopeful eyes. But then Bruce would remember Jason and push the thought away. He hadn't been good enough with Jason, treated him like a child and son instead of protege and fellow Keeper and look where that had got him.

It was better this way.

So Tim left for home every night at 8:00, right when his housekeeper expected him. Which was why Bruce was very surprised to find him standing at the entrance of the cave around 8:30, half an hour after he had sent him home.

"Tim?"

No answer

"Tim, are you alright?"

No answer.

Something was wrong. The boy usually scrambled to answer.

Once Bruce got closer, the situation became evident. The little Omega was in pre-heat. He was young so his scent was significantly lighter but there was no mistaking the extra boost to the lemon scent. The boy was definitely going into heat.

"Timmy, Kiddo," he said softly, ignoring the part of his that told him to turn away, "Look at me,"

The little boy, who had had his back to him until now, slowly turned around. Bruce winced when he saw his expression. Dazed with a little bit of...fear? Why did the boy look afraid?

"H-hi Bruce. I-um-I was about to leave but then this feeling just hit me and I didn't want to leave anymore. I'm usually home by the time it hits me-b-but- it hit me here and-I'm so so sorry, Bruce! I'm so sorry!"

Bruce took a deep breath and knelt in front of the shaking boy. Going by his age, he probably hadn't been having heats for more than a year and since very young omegas only had a few heats a year, this was was probably his third or fourth. He was in a house that wasn't his and not to mention with an adult who had been less than welcoming.

He sighed again and put a hand on Tim's shoulder. The boy flinched at first but then relaxed a bit.

"It's okay, Tim," he said, "Do you want me to take you home?". Tim probably had a nest there. Most pups liked to 'play nest' and those that had started heat usually kept up theirs. There were some interesting stories about young pups, especially omegas, fighting their parents when they tried to wash the items used in the nest.

Bruce would take Tim home, make sure he was taken care of by whoever was watching him and then he would come back and this unsettling feeling he was getting in his chest would go away.

He wasn't expecting the way Tim's eyes filled with tears while he shook his head.

"Don't wanna be alone," he mumbled

Bruce frowned. Young omegas got emotional during their heat, some even pre-heat, but this was odd and why would Tim say that about being alone? He had said someone watched him.

"What do you mean you're going to be alone?"

Tim sniffed and shook his head, "Shouldn't have said that. Bad,"

Bruce's chest tightened. Something was wrong, very very wrong.

He decided to try something else, "What about your nest then?"

"What nest?"

Bruce barely held himself back from gasping in shock.

Could this be-

"Is this your first heat, kiddo?"

Tim shook his head.

"And you don't have a nest?"

Tim shook his head again.

"How many heats have you had, buddy?"

"Two," said Tim with a sniffle, "Didn't realize what the first one was, they were five months apart,"

Tim had started coming here four months ago. And he didn't have a nest. Good god.

Bruce had so many more questions but they could wait because Tim was starting to shake again.

"Hey Tim," he said, "I'm gonna pick you up okay?"

"Okay." he sniffled

Bruce carefully picked him up, backpack and all. He was impossibly small and light in his arms, instantly curling up against his chest.

Goddammit, he could already feel himself getting attached. This wasn't supposed to happen.

"Oh My," said Alfred, once they got upstairs, looking at the boy who now had his eyes squeezed shut "What happened here, Master Bruce?"

"He's going in heat in the next twenty-four hours, said he didn't want to go home because he doesn't want to be alone and has never made a nest despite already having had two heats,"

An almost undetectable dark look passed over Alfred's face.

"I see," said the old butler, "You'll be taking him to your room then,"

"Yes," said Bruce, "I'm sure you already know the list of his favourite snacks,"

"Of course," said Alfred, "I'll make sure to bring them up,"

"Thanks, Alfie,"

Once Bruce got to the room, he turned on the dim lamplight and carefully deposited the boy in the middle of the bed.

"You can open your eyes now, Buddy," said Bruce

Tim opened his eyes and looked around with surprise.

"Is this your room?"

"Yes, Tim," he said

"What are we doing here?" he asked

"I'm going to teach you to build a nest," he said

"Oh," he said, eyes widening in surprise, confirming Bruce's fears. This poor little Omega had spent his last two heats without a nest and probably without his parents.

"Now," said Bruce, "There are some very important decisions that need to be considered when making a nest,"

Tim straightened and looked at him intently. Bruce couldn't help the warmth that spread thought. God, this kid was adorable.

"First one," said Bruce, "Covered top or not?"

xxx

Tim watched in surprise as Bruce attached to wooden poles to the end of the bedposts.

"Is this tall okay?" asked the older Omega, "I'll have to attach something to the headboard too so it makes a triangle shape,"

"Oh no," said Tim, "That's not necessary. I'll fit inside,"

This was bad, He was causing too much trouble. He should have just gone home. Why didn't he just go home?

"But then I won't fit," said Bruce

Tim's mouth fell open in surprise

"You're going to stay with me," he asked in a whisper

"Of course," said Bruce with a frown, "Unless you want someone else? Maybe Dick or Barbara? Because you're not old enough to do this alone,"

But I already did it alone.

He didn't say that though. Instead, he just nodded.

"Okay, You can stay,"

Bruce frowned a little and Tim wondered if he's said something wrong.

But then Bruce went back to fixing the bed and Tim relaxed. Everything was fine.

"Now," said Bruce, once he was done attaching the poles, "I'm gonna hold some things up and you're going to tell me if you want to keep them?"

"Okay," he said

Bruce went into the closet and brought out a pile of soft and furry looking things.

"First. we're going to put something at the bottom. Something comfy. Would you like wool? Cotton? Maybe a down?"

"What a down?"

The older omega frowned. Tim was just about to take back his question when Bruce picked up a bunch of things again.

"I have an idea," said Bruce, "You feel them and tell me which one will the comfiest under you,"

"Oh, okay,"

He ended up choosing a large blue blanket that seemed to have feathers inside of it.

"Good choice," said Bruce, giving Tim a bright smile. Tim loved that smile. It made his magic dance nicely in his chest.

The next little while was spent like that, with Bruce showing Tim different things and he would choose which ones he likes best.

"How do I know which one feels the nicest," he asked at one point

"Well," said Bruce, "There are many ways to tell. You can feel it with your hands, curl up in it or..."

"Or?" asked Tim, confused as to why Bruce had stopped speaking

"Or I could do this," said Bruce and pounced. Before Tim knew it, he had been pushed into one of the blankets as Bruce tickled him mercilessly.

"Wait-what-haha-stop-stop-hahaha-BRUCE!"

"Nuh-uh," huffed Bruce, "Not stopping,"

Tim screeched as Bruce poked a particularly sensitive spot and tried to get away, twisting the splayed blankets and covers as he went.

"You're not getting away Kiddo," Bruce said with a grin, yanking him back against his chest, mercilessly tickling his tummy and making him gasp and twist.

Eventually, Tim ran out of breath and Bruce let him go. He flopped down onto the bed, a few giggles still escaping him as he caught his breath.

"So," said Bruce, "How does it look now?"

Tim looked at him in confusion. What did he mean?

Bruce just smiled and waved his hand around. Tim turned to look and his eyes widened. Them moving around had moved the bigger blankets to the edge, creating a sort of barrier, the cotton sheets were still under him covering the large blue blanker at the bottom. There were brighter lighter blankets just inside the barrier, giving it a cozy look and there were handmade quilts and a couple of knitted blankets laying closer to him.

"I like it," he said, running his hand on top of one knitted blanket, "I really really like it,"

"I'm glad, Kiddo," said Bruce, "Just have to fix it in a few places,"

Bruce went ahead and started to pull the blankets closer together, settling them in a way that made sure both of them could stretch. After he was done, he picked up one of the quilts and put it around Tim's shoulders.

"There you go," he murmured, "Now sit here and I'm going to get a sheet to cover us, okay?"

Tim nodded. Bruce moved to the edge of the bed and pulled up three sheets.

"Blue, White, or Yellow?"

"Yellow," said Tim

"Great," said Bruce, standing up, "If I attach this here and here and then..."

Carefully, the older omega constructed a cover over them using duct tape and the wooden poles he had attached to the bed.

"And for the finishing touch," said Bruce and leaned over the change the setting on the lights. The lights dimmed a bit, creating a yellow glow in the nest as they were filtered through the near-transparent sheet.

"What do you think, Tim?" said Bruce as he settled in beside him.

Tim could feel a big feeling building in his chest as tears gathered in his eyes.

Not being able to answer, he did the only thing he could think of and threw himself at Bruce's chest.

XXX

Bruce tensed as Tim slammed into him. The weight wasn't the problem but when was the last time he had held a child close? The last time-

He cut his thoughts off. No matter how bad this might turn out, he had an obligation as Tim's mentor to help him in any way possible, including emotionally. This was just a mentor taking care of his protege. Absolutely nothing to do with Pack.

Bruce could do this.

"You okay there, Timmy?"

Tim nodded and a soft sound started coming from him.

Was he-

Another soft sound.

Yup. The little omega was definitely purring. So adorable.

Slowly, Bruce could feel his apprehensions slipping away as he gave an answering purr. The little boy looked back up in surprise as if no one had answered his before.

Alphas and Betas didn't purr but they did growl and hum. Tim's parents should have been answering him with something if they had taken some time to spend with their little boy. But it was becoming increasingly obvious that they didn't have much to do with Tim.

Bruce felt a surge of hate toward the Drakes. How dare they? They had this brilliant, sweet child. Didn't they know how precious this was, this life? How fragile? How it could be taken away in a-

Tim purred louder and nuzzled his neck, probably detecting his changing mood from his scent.

Bruce gently purred in response, letting him know everything was fine. As he pulled the little boy closer, he felt their magics curl together. Bruce's own mature magic and Tim's still developing spark.

_Ours Ours Ours_

_'Not yet," answered Bruce, having mastered speaking in his head, "He's too young to protect Gotham yet and his magic isn't as developed as you,"_

_No no Ours_

It took him a few seconds to realize what his magic was saying. With Dick and Jason, the line had been clear. They didn't have parents. They were Keepers and so was Bruce, therefore, they were Bruce's responsibility.

It wasn't that way with Tim.

This was the magic asking him to claim Tim as his own.

Bruce pursed his lips. The Keeper's magic didn't usually have any morals or goals other than having a way to do its job, in this case, protect Gotham. It needed the Keeper to help direct it and bend it and make sure it didn't do anything to disrupt the system of that Keepers time period.

So why did it want Bruce to claim Tim? Was it reflecting Bruce's own desire back? Because despite what Dick liked to say, Bruce wasn't actually oblivious to his own feelings, he just didn't act on them.

_'Why are you so insistent?'_

_Needs our help. We help Gotham and Gotham includes its people. We are the best equipped in this scenario._

Huh, so the magic was learning after all.

"Bruce?" asked Tim, starting to sound a little sleepy

"It's okay," said Bruce, "Go to sleep, Kiddo,"

The little omega yawned and closed his eyes, snuggling deeper into his chest.

He could do this.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed! Comments and Kudos are appreciated!


End file.
